Canton’s Babylon Kabob opens with feel-good backstory

Canton resident Thergam Alshara still vividly recalls the time 25 years ago when his father, Mohammed, reluctantly traded in his chef’s apron for a construction tool belt.

“My dad and and his business partner owned a popular Dearborn restaurant called The Baghdad Restaurant,” recounted Alshara, now 30. “My dad has a passion for cooking and he’s an amazing chef — he makes the best kabobs around — but the restaurant closed when I was young and he started working in the construction field.

“I was only 5 or 6 years old, but I remember telling my dad, ‘When I grow up, we’re going to help you open up a new restaurant so you can do what you love’.”

Thergam Alshara is not only a loving son, he’s a man of his word.

‘Savor the Flavor’

Fast forward to April 7 when the Alshara family opened the doors to Babylon Kabob, which is located at 3100 N. Lilley Road in Canton.

Canton’s newest eatery, which specializes in mouth-watering chicken, lamb and beef kabobs, carries the slogan: “Taste the history. Savor the Flavor”.

“People tell us all the time since we opened that they used to have to drive to Sterling Heights to get authentic kabobs like the ones my dad makes,” Thergam Alshara proudly stated. “And they also tell us ours are the best.”

Babylon Kabob is entirely family operated, with Mohammed expertly manning the open-fire grill, with assistance from his wife, Dhamya, and youngest son, Haidar.

In the months leading up to the eatery’s soft opening, Thergam Alshara resigned from his job as an engineer at Canton’s Yazaki North America (he still works as a Realtor for Keller Williams) to help transform a former nail salon into what is now a warm and welcoming dining establishment.

‘Labor of love’

“It was a labor of love for everyone in my family,” he said. “To see the joy in my dad’s eyes makes it all worth it. During the renovation, we contracted out all of the electrical and plumbing work, but my dad played a huge role in the construction part.

“He’s not just an amazing chef, he’s a hard worker.”

Mohammed Alshara’s cooking skills are legendary in Dearborn, where he has annually cooked and donated thousands of kabobs for local mosques’ processions.

“My dad puts his heart and soul into everything he does, whether it’s construction or cooking,” Thergam shared. “But his greatest passion is being a chef, so it’s rewarding to see he’s back doing what he loves best.”

Marvelous menu

Babylon Kabob’s menu is expansive with affordably-priced items — the Iraqi Beef Kabob is a favorite of customers — and filling rice bowls (chicken, veggie and meat)  that cost $13.99 to $15.99.

There is also an ample selection of sides (Lentil soup, Falafel and Hummus, to name just three) and a nice variety of salads and drinks.

“The reception we’ve received from the Canton community so far has been amazing,” said Thergam, who revealed a tasting party for friends and family a couple days before the soft opening drew close to 300 people.

“We love this location because of its proximity to Ford Road (the restaurant is located approximately one football field south of Canton’s main thoroughfare) and how close we are to so many retail shops and industrial parks.

“We’re really promoting our lunch specials for everyone who lives and/or works in Canton and surrounding communities. For instance, we have one special that includes two skewers of meat, rice and a drink for $11.99.”

Key word: F-R-E-S-H!

Thergam emphasized that all of the food served at Babylon Kabob is fresh.

“We order all of our meats from a nearby farm, so it’s not frozen for weeks before it’s cooked,” he said.

“We also pride ourselves on our hospitality. If there’s one thing besides how good the food tastes that our customers have raved about is how well they’re treated here. We want to develop lasting relationships with our customers; we’re not in this just to make money.”

The catering can’t be beat

Thanks to Mohammed’s expertise in cooking for thousands of people, Babylon Kabob’s catering service is excellent.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s for 10 people, or hundreds of people, our catering is second to none,” Thergam said.

To learn more about Babylon Kabob, visit its Instagram page here; or to place a take-out order (they work with Uber Eats, Doordash and Grubhub), call 734-224-5800.

Canton’s newest restaurant will celebrate its grand opening June 20 with a Canton Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony.

As Thergam shared his family’s heart-felt journey, Mohammed was joyfully cooking a skewer of shawarma.

The expression on his face was that of a man doing what he loved best.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.